Rail-joint.



UNITED STATES PATEN @FFTQE CHARLES J. HEISER, OF EAST PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed January 3, 1907. Serial No. 350,620.

' companying drawing.

This invention relates to rail joints and more particularly to a novel form of chair and rail fastener for clamping together the confronting or meeting ends of two rails.

My invention aims to provide a simple and inexpensive chair and rail fastener that can be easily and quickly assembled in a manner to firmly hold two rails and prevent spreading or lateral displacement of the rails.

The detailed construction of my improved chair and rail fastener will be presently described and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing forming part of this specification, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved rail joint, and Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same.

My improved rail joint comprises a chair having a horizontal base plate 1 adapted to support the confronting or meeting ends of two rails 2. One of the longitudinally-extending edges of the base plate 1 is formed with an integral fish bar 3 adapted to lie over the base flanges 4 of the rails 2 and bear against the web portions 5 of said rails. The opposite longitudinally-extending edge of the base plate 1 is provided with a flange 6 having its inner face extending verti cally at right angles to the plane of the base plate, and adjacent to said flanges I provide the base plate 1 with vertically disposed openings 7, the lower ends of which terminate in seats 8.

The rails are held on the base plate 1, by means of a clamping plate 9 provided along its inner, edge with an upwardly extending fish bar to engage the web 5 of the rails on the side opposite to that engaged by the fish bar 3. This clamping plate is of substantially equal thickness throughout, and hence can be readily formed by rolling, and when its underneath face 10 is in engagement with the base flanges 11 on one side of the rails, and the outer edge of the plate engages the inner wall of the upwardly extending flange 6, said outer edge being formed to complementally fit and abut against the inner face of said flange, that portion of the underneath face of the plate between the outer edge of the flanges 11 and the outer edge of the plate is free, from contact with the base plate 1, the space between the plate 9 and the base plate 1 gradually decreasing from the outer edge of the rail flanges 11 to the point where the plate 9 engages with the base plate 1 adjacent the flange 6. The said clamping plate 9 is provided with a plurality of bolt openings 12 alining with the bolt openings 7 in the base plate 1, bolts 14 being passed through these openings with their heads 15 received in the seats or countersunk lower ends 8 of the openings 7 and secured by nuts 16 threaded to said bolts and frictionally engaging the upper face of the clamping plate 9.

As shown, the fish-bar formed on the plate 9 is of a width to provide a space between its upper edge and the under face of the tread flange of the rail. This structure permits the plate 9 to be moved vertically into position, a movement necessary owing to the particular inclination of the angle formed by the inner face of the flange 6 relatively to the plane of the base plate. This inclination is of particular advantage since it provides a direct opposing wall for any movement of the ends of the rails laterally, such movement producing a lateral'prcssure against the base plate, a result which is especially liable where the rails are laid on a curve. Any tendency of the rails to move vertically is prevented by the bolts and the structure on the opposite side and bottom of the rail.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that the plate 9 rests only on the rail base, and on the base plate 1 at the outer edge of said clamping plate, being free from engagement with the base plate 1 at the point where the bolts pass through said base plate and clamping plate, and also free from engagement With said base plate for some distance on each side of said bolts. This construction is advantageous for the reason that the plates, being free from engagement at the points where the bolts pass through them, permits a tightening of the bolts to a greater extent than could be accomplished were the plates in engage ment; consequently, a solid structure is provided, the clamping plate 9 having a tendency to yield to a certain extent as the nuts are tightened, and serving to bind the under face 1.0 of the plate onto the rail flange 11, which binding effect could not be obtained to as great an extent if the clamping plate 9 were in engagement with the base plate 1 throughout that portion of its underneath face which lies beyond the outer edges of the rail flanges 11.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1- 1. The combination with the opposing meeting ends of rail sections, of a supporting joint therefon'said joint comprising a supporting baseplatc having one of its side portions formed to engage and support the base and one side of the web of the rails, the opposing side edge of said plate having an upwardly-extending flange the inner face of which extends at right angles to the plane of the base plate, and a clamping plate of equal thickness throughout having one edge formed to complenientally abut against the inner face of the flange, and having its opposing edge bent upwardly to form a fish-bar abutting against the web of the rail, a space being formed intermediate the tread flange of the rail and the upper edge of the fish-bar, whereby the clamping plate may be moved vertically into position, and means extending through the base plate and the clamping plate for retaining the latter against vertical movement.

2. In a rail joint, 21 base plate for supporting the railsections at the junctures of their ends, an integral fish plate carried by one edge of said base plate and engaging the base flange and rail web on one side of said rails, a flange projecting upwardly from along the other side edge of said base plate, said flange having its inner face at right angles to the plane of the base plate, a clamping plate having its outer edge complementally formed to abut against the inner surface of said flange and having its inner edge formed with an integral fish bar to engage the web of said rails, the upper edge of said fish-bar being spaced from the under face of the tread flange of the rails, the said clamping plate resting on the base flange of the rails and being free from engagement with the base plate between the outer edge of said base flange and approximately the outer edge of the clamping plate, said base plate and said clamping plate being provided with bolt openings, bolts extending through said openings and having their heads countersunk in the base plate, and nuts on the threaded ends of said bolts engaging the upper face of the clamping plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES .T. HEISER.

Witnesses:

MAX I-I. Snonovrrz,

' M. E. LAWSON. 

